You probably know him as Dylan from Modern Family. The goofy, guitar-strumming boyfriend who just couldn't quite stay away from Haley Dunphy. On screen, Reid Ewing seemed like a relaxed, maybe slightly dim-witted, but ultimately confident guy. Off-camera? It was a total nightmare.
The reid ewing before and after conversation isn't your typical "did they or didn't they" celebrity gossip. It’s way heavier. By the time he was 19, Reid was already convinced his face was fundamentally broken. He wasn't just vain; he was dealing with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), a mental health condition that basically tricks your brain into seeing flaws that aren't there. Or, if they are there, they’re magnified by about a thousand percent.
Honestly, looking at photos of him from the first season of Modern Family, he looks like a normal, handsome kid. But in his head? He thought he was "unacceptably" ugly. That’s a quote from him, by the way. He genuinely believed that a few snips and tucks would turn him into Brad Pitt. Instead, it kicked off a decade-long cycle of isolation, botched procedures, and deep regret.
The Surgery That Started the Spiral
It all began in 2008. Reid had just moved to Los Angeles to make it as an actor. The pressure of the industry is real, and for someone with BDD, it's like throwing gasoline on a fire. He sat in his apartment taking photos of himself from every single angle, analyzing every millimeter of his jawline and cheekbones.
He eventually found a surgeon who—instead of seeing a kid in a mental health crisis—saw a paycheck. The doctor agreed that his face "needed" work for his career. Think about that for a second. A 19-year-old kid walks in, and a medical professional says, "Yeah, you're right, let's change your face."
They settled on large cheek implants.
✨ Don't miss: P Diddy and Son: What Really Happened with the Combs Family Legal Storm
The recovery was gruesome. Reid woke up screaming in pain. He had to wear a full facial mask for two weeks, hiding out in a hotel in Joshua Tree so nobody would see him. He was "doped up" on hydrocodone, waiting for the big reveal. When the bandages finally came off? It wasn't Brad Pitt staring back. His face was so swollen it looked like a balloon, and once the swelling subsided, the results were, in his own words, "horrendous." The implants actually made his lower cheeks look hollow, like a corpse.
A Chain Reaction of "Fixes"
If you've ever tried to fix a DIY project and ended up making it worse, you kind of get the vibe—except this was his face. After the cheek implant disaster, he went to another doctor. This one was even "less qualified," but Reid was desperate.
This second surgeon suggested a chin implant.
He did the surgery the same day. Just... walked in and got cut open. But it wasn't long before Reid realized he could move the chin implant around under his skin with his finger. It wasn't even attached properly. For the next several years, this became his life:
- Getting an implant.
- Hating the result because it looked "weird" or "fake."
- Seeking a new doctor to fix the old doctor's mistake.
- Getting fat transfers or fillers to even out the bumps.
- Realizing the fillers didn't last and looked "lumpy."
Most people didn't even notice while Modern Family was airing. He was careful about when he filmed. He’d time the surgeries so the worst of the swelling happened during breaks. If you look closely at the middle seasons, you might see his face looking a bit fuller or his jawline slightly different, but the makeup team and clever lighting did a lot of the heavy lifting.
🔗 Read more: Ozzy Osbourne Younger Years: The Brutal Truth About Growing Up in Aston
The Breaking Point in 2012
By 2012, the secrecy was eating him alive. He was borrowing money from his parents and grandmother. He was depressed. He was isolated. He finally just said, "No more." He vowed to stop the surgeries entirely, even though he still hated how he looked.
It took another six months before he could even look people in the eye. That’s the thing about BDD—stopping the surgery doesn't automatically stop the thoughts. You just have to learn to live with the face you have, even if your brain is screaming at you that it’s wrong.
In 2015, he decided to go public. He wrote a raw, honest essay for HuffPost titled "I Underwent Cosmetic Surgery For My Body Dysmorphia And I Wish I Hadn’t." He wasn't looking for sympathy; he was looking to warn other people. He pointed out that of the four doctors who worked on him, not one did a mental health screening. They just took the money.
Where is Reid Ewing Now?
So, what happened after the show ended in 2020? Reid didn't stay in the Hollywood "grind" the way some of his co-stars did. He’s been pretty vocal lately on social media about how the acting industry is basically "unhealthy."
He’s semi-active on Instagram and Cameo, but he’s shifted his focus. He’s done some short films like Always Come In Second and Nest, and he’s been working on a project called Generation Angst. But mostly, he seems to be focused on staying mentally healthy. In 2024 and 2025, he started posting videos warning parents and young actors about the "humiliation rituals" of the audition process.
💡 You might also like: Noah Schnapp: Why the Stranger Things Star is Making Everyone Talk Right Now
He’s clearly over the "perfection" game. He looks like a regular guy now. The reid ewing before and after photos you see online today show a man who has clearly had work done, but who also looks a lot more "human" than he did during the height of his surgery addiction.
Real Talk: The Takeaway
Reid’s story is a massive red flag for the "tweakment" culture we live in. We’re all constantly looking at filtered faces on TikTok, and it’s easy to think a little filler here or a "snatched" jawline there will solve our insecurities. But if the problem is in your head, a scalpel isn't going to fix it.
If you're looking at your own reflection and feeling that same "unacceptable" vibe Reid felt, here’s what he suggests:
- Audit your surgeons: If they don't ask about your mental health or history of depression, leave. A good doctor should care about why you're there, not just how much you're paying.
- Mental health first: BDD is a real thing. Therapy and sometimes medication (which Reid has said helped him "recalibrate") are often more effective than any implant.
- Acknowledge the industry: Hollywood—and social media—is designed to make you feel inadequate. Recognizing that the game is rigged is the first step to not playing it.
Reid Ewing basically lost his 20s to a mirror. He’s spent the last few years trying to make sure nobody else does the same. He’s fine now, or at least, as fine as anyone can be in a world obsessed with looks, but he’d give anything to go back to 2008 and just tell his 19-year-old self: "You look fine. Just stop."
Next Steps for You
If you or someone you know is struggling with an obsession over physical "flaws," check out the resources provided by the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation. It’s also worth reading Reid’s original 2015 essay if you want the full, unvarnished details of his experience. It’s a reality check that everyone who spends too much time on Instagram probably needs to read.